Rafting on Rio Jacaré Pepira in Brotas: Brazil's best-awarded guides

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1/14

Duration4h

GroupUp to 20

LanguagesEN · PT +1

Mobile ticketAccepted

You paddle the rapids yourself, not watch from the bank.

Rafting on the Jacaré Pepira River in Brotas puts you in an inflatable boat with a guide and five other paddlers, descending rapids and falls over four hours. The river is considered one of Brazil's best for the sport. Transport from your hotel, safety equipment, a wind-jacket and refreshments after the run are included; guides speak English, Spanish or Portuguese, and children from age seven can join.

The Experience

The Jacaré Pepira is the most visited rafting route in Brazil, and for good reason — it delivers emotion and nature contact in the same afternoon. You'll meet your guide at the boat, get fitted with a personal life jacket and wind-jacket, and paddle into the descent yourself. The inflatable holds seven people, so the group stays small enough that the guide can watch everyone through the rapids and falls. A four-hour run means you're on the water long enough to feel the rhythm of the river without burning out.

What sets this route apart is the balance: you're not fighting class-five whitewater that demands expert technique, and you're not floating passively through scenery. The guide leads from the boat and calls the paddle strokes, so even first-timers know what to do. The course rewards you with the river's own architecture — the ebb and falls are the landscape itself, not a constructed obstacle. After you pull out, juice or hot chocolate with honey and a safe snack wait on the bank.

Private transport picks you up from your hotel and brings you back, so the only thing you arrange is showing up. The guide speaks your language — English, Spanish or Portuguese — and can answer questions about the river and the region as you paddle. Children from seven years old can join if they're comfortable in the water and can follow instructions; infants sit with an adult.

What’s included

Private hotel transport to and from the river.
personal life jacket and wind-jacket.
guide instruction in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
juice or hot chocolate with honey and a snack after the run.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessiblePets welcomeNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Território Selvagem Canoar

Is this one for you?If your guide speaks your language, you can focus on the paddle instead of decoding instructions — this trip offers guides in English, Spanish and Portuguese, so you follow the rhythm without translation lag.